Tencent VISVISE 🎨, FSR 4 leak 🔓, Steam strategy 🎮, Unreal AI 🤖
AI for Art & Production 🎨⚙️
Tencent’s VISVISE Promises Minutes‑Not‑Days for Game Art and Animation
Tencent debuted VISVISE at Gamescom 2025, an AI suite that automates game art workflows—from character skinning to animation and asset management. GoSkinning claims 85% automation and eightfold throughput, while MotionBlink uses diffusion and CVAE to generate smooth, mocap-like motion in seconds. Tencent says the tool reduces tasks that take days to minutes or less and is already used in 90+ titles, including PUBG Mobile. The company positions VISVISE as support for artists, not a replacement.
From Pretty to Playable: Fixing AI Concept Art with Real Design
Polished AI art can still sink a game if it ignores intention, social context, and function. Senior concept artist Miguel Nogueira shows how research, authentic references, and design theory (Loos, Rams) turn “flashy” into believable. He breaks down character and environment paintovers—removing nonfunctional ornament, tailoring gear, and correcting unsafe architecture—to align visuals with story. Includes free mind map and a chapter on design research.
Faster Pipelines & Practical AI 🏃♂️🤖
The Rush Is On: Shorter Cycles and AI’s Quiet Rise
From the business halls of Gamescom comes a clear mandate: make games faster. Studios are targeting 1–3 year cycles (with early access if needed) to cut costs and reduce risk—without sacrificing visual fidelity. AI is quietly assisting with code and concept art, but stigma and backlash keep many teams discreet. The industry now needs open, agreed guidelines on acceptable AI use, training data ownership, and transparency to sustain speed without eroding trust.
Unreal AI Workflows That Work (and Where They Break)
ICVR rebuilt a handcrafted Unreal scene using only off‑the‑shelf AI tools to test what truly speeds up production. AI meshes arrive fast but heavy (127k tris), with messy topology/UVs; characters and animation still need human fixes. Video restyling boosts fidelity but introduces inconsistencies. The session shares tool choices, workflow patterns, QC bottlenecks, and must‑know IP/security and standardization tips for shipping real UE projects.
Launch Strategy & Indie Wins 🚀🎮
How to Win Steam in 2025: Demo First, Next Fest Last
Chris Zukowski breaks down Steam’s 2024 changes and why demos now drive discovery. Learn the step‑by‑step plan: iterate playtests, coordinate a demo launch with festivals/streamers, trigger the wishlister email, and target “New & Trending Free.” He demystifies “Real Steam” (~$150k gross), Discovery Queue day‑3 surges, expanded daily deals, and sale features. Final tip: launch your demo months early—and save Next Fest for the grand finale.
700k Lines, One File: How Warsim Won Fans (and £20k in 2 Hours)
Huw Millward reveals how a niche, text-only sim became a cult hit through relentless updates, community-driven features, and a “tapestry” of marketing—from tiny streamers to a viral Reddit post that netted £20k in hours. He shares procgen lessons (layer rules for real emergence), painful tech-debt takeaways (translation, fixed systems), and why persistence beats pivots. Plus a tease of Slumbbox, his 2D GameMaker sandbox with 200+ licensed tracks.
Tech Deep Dives & Serious Impact 🔧📈
FidelitySDK Update Spills FSR 4 Source; AMD Pulls, License Lives On
AMD confirmed it accidentally published FSR 4’s source code with its latest FidelitySDK update—and initially under the MIT license. Though the files were removed from GPUOpen, early downloaders can still legally use and modify the code. The update also adds FSR 4 and FSR 3.1.5 frame generation support, and AMD says FidelitySDK will underpin future ML rendering like FSR Redstone. Expect accelerated community analysis and integrations.
Serious Games That Work: Design, Funding, and Measurable Outcomes
Global Game Jam’s Maria Burns-Ortiz offers a pragmatic playbook for making serious games that deliver real impact. Start with measurable outcomes, scope for practicality, and ship on accessible platforms (mobile/web) instead of flashy tech. She shares proven use cases (education, health, media literacy, language preservation), funding paths (grants, custom dev, impact investors, edu platforms), and why shorter, culturally relevant games outperform. A concise guide to building sustainable, outcome-driven titles.